Responsibilities & Activities

As program director for projects studying liver, gastrointestinal, neuroendocrine, and pancreas processes, I oversee a research portfolio on the major diseases affecting the liver, pancreas, and the gastrointestinal tract. Providing scientific, programmatic, and fiscal management of basic research and clinical studies, my work supports advancement of the Division’s goals, which are: to find the primary causes of liver, pancreatic, and gastrointestinal diseases; to characterize the factors that contribute to their progression; and to develop interventions for their treatment and prevention.

I manage a basic science portfolio on exocrine pancreas and GI neuroendocrine pathophysiology and diseases as well as in liver toxicity due to medication and dietary supplements. I also serve as Project Scientist or Program Offial in several research networks and large clinical studies like The Drug Induced Liver Injury Network (DILIN) 2003-to present. The Gastroparesis Clinical Research Consortium (GpCRC) 2010-present. The MEthotrexate Response in Treatment of UC (MERIT-UC) 2011-present. The Predicting Response to Standardized Pediatric Colitis Therapy 2012-present. The Stent vs. Indomethacin for preventing post-ERCP pancreatitis (SVI) 2013-present. The L. reuteri for Pediatric Diarrhea in Peru: Growth, Enteropathy, and Microbiota study (PRIDEC-Peru) 2014-present. The Consortium for the Study of Chronic Pancreatitis, Diabetes and Pancreatic Cancer (CPDPC) 2015-present. The SpHincterotomy in Acute Recurrent Pancreatitis with Pancreas Divisum Trial (SHARP) 2016-present. The Results of ERCP in SPhincter of Oddi Dysfunction Study (ReSPOND) 2017-present. The APpendicitis in Pediatrics: Exploring the Nonoperative Debate Trial (APPEND-X) 2017-present the Liver Tissue and Cell Distribution System.